Not Alone
by Chillio-Dillio
Summary: Link and Tetra's crew had a day off to refuel on food. Everything was fine until Link's post Ganon feelings came back. Lets just say, it wasn't fun. Tetra gets Link to open up. Post Windwaker One Shot


Every day was pretty much the same from dawn to twilight turning into night. Link would wake up from nightmares, which he had gotten used to after leaving Outset Island, and grab his signature green tunic. The room where everyone slept wasn't very private, especially when he had to change out of his pajamas. They would all change in the same room. He could feel the eyes from the ship crew when he took his shirt off.

He honestly didn't think about his scars as much anymore. It's been a couple of years since defeating Ganon, so he didn't pay any mind.

After changing he would greet Tetra, who was strangely up before everyone else, who would then go to eat breakfast.

Afterwards, the crew would help on deck. Gonzo pilots the ship. Mako was probably reading somewhere. Nudge was in his usual spot, guarding Tetra's room. Zuko keeps watch in the crow's nest. Niko, Senza and Link had the task of cleaning and manning the sails. Tetra would make sure everyone was doing their job.

Link had always loved the feeling of the wind. It would flow through his hair like how a breeze blows through tree leaves. He had stopped wearing his hat long ago for this reason. Also, he didn't want it to fly away.

Link would roll his sleeves up and get to work.

After a long day of climbing, pulling and cleaning, they would stop at a small uninhabited island that they would come across. It was occasional, but they were all grateful for some real rest. During the nights where they didn't stop Gonzo would stay up as late as his body could handle it. Tetra would take over for the rest of the night. Link tried to get her to let him take over so she could get some rest, but she was stubborn and set that she would steer for the remaining hours of the night. It's been like this since they left to find the new Hyrule. Nothing had really ever changed for a while.

Nights when they stayed at an island, Link would stay up after everyone went to sleep. He would sit and watch the stars and moon. Tonight it was full. These were his favorite nights. A small warm breeze would dance in the air while he admired nature at her finest. On nights like these, he would thank the goddesses for letting him be alive long enough to see this.

When he was done admiring the sky, he would sneak back to his cot and sleep not so peacefully.

He jolted up from unconsciousness in a cold sweat. He had an awful feeling in his chest.'Nightmares again'. As he wiped the sleep from his eyes, he noticed that the ship wasn't rocking, and that everyone bed was empty. He pushed the feeling away, like he did with most feelings these days. ''Slept in again. Tetra's gonna kill me for this. It's probably why they haven't left yet'

As he got dressed, Link continued to ridicule himself for sleeping in even though he hadn't really rested. He hadn't really rested since he went to save his sister. The only real rest he got was when he became unconscious from getting himself hurt. He wished he had someone there with him during those times. He would completely alone in the temples. Sometimes he was sure he wouldn't wake up.

What if-

"Are you going to stand there, or are you going to come start working?"

Gonzo snapped Link to reality. He didn't realize he was just standing there fully dressed.

"Oh. Y-yea," he stuttered. Gonzo shot him a weird look as he went back up to the deck.

Link shielded his eyes with his forearm as he walked up onto the deck. Senza and Niko were fishing. Which was odd, because they rarely fished.

" G'morning sleepy head."

A feminine voice rang in his ears. 'odd' Link thought. Tetra didn't sound angry or irritated. When he slept in, she would chew him out for it. As he thought about it, she chewed him up about most things more than she would the rest if the crew. Maybe because he's supposed to be some kind of hero.

He had no clue.

"Why aren't we sailing?" Link asked. His throat was dry. Maybe he was getting sick, he assumed.

"We are almost out of food, so we needed a day to resupply." Niko answered.

"Oh."

This was extremely odd to Link. This had only happened one other time and he was still recovering, so he had no idea it happened until later.

They proceeded to fish. Niko taught Link to fish, but to no avail. For some reason, Link couldn't focus today.

Hours later, they all decided to take a break from the difficult task of fishing. Gonzo made a small meal out of the smaller fish that they caught. Everyone began eating and talking, except Link. He had been to lost in thought to eat or talk. Tetra noticed his uncharacteristic behavior.

"Link," she said. No answer.

"Link," she tried again. The crew had gone silent.

"Link!" Tetra said loud and stern. It was the voice she used to scold him.

Link snapped out of the trance he was in,

"Wh-what?" he stuttered.

"Are you okay?" she looked at him. She sounded slightly irritated, but Link could see the worry in her eyes.

"Yea," he said slowly.

"I...uh...sorry," he quickly got up set his food down and left the ship for the small island they were staying at.

He had no idea why he was so out of it today. 'Tetra probably thinks I'm stupid or something.' Link also didn't know why he cared about Tetra's opinion of him so much.

He walked down to sit on a large rock on the island. It took him about five minutes to get to it. It was a very small island. It was a ways past noon, and the sun was getting ready to set.

Link hasn't been by himself for a while. He was usually around someone somewhere no matter where he went for peace and quiet. It was an unusual feeling to be alone again. It reminded him bitterly of the days he spent in those goddess-damned temples.

He had begun to finish his train of thought earlier in the day. He imagined what would happen to Hyrule if be had died in one of the temples.

What would happen to his grandmother, Aryll, the crew, to Tetra.

Link hated to think if what would happen to Tetra if he wasn't there. He knew that Aryll was safe of Outset, but here, there could still be danger.

The blond hero stopped in his tracks. He needed to calm down before he got himself to worried.

Then, that feeling from this morning came back. That ache in his chest was back to finish what it had started. Link tried to push it away, but it was stronger this time. It pushed on his chest and slowly began to spread throughout his whole body.

He knew this feeling well. He knew how to push it back. It was harder to deal with when he was alone, though.

It happened so often, Link had gotten used to it. He never had to address it for long. He was usually busy with work. It would come right before he went to bed and would follow him to sleep.

Tetra began to worry for Link. Even though she knew he was used to being by himself after being chosen by the goddesses but, he had never been alone for a while. She never knew what he was thinking either. It worried her to think that when he was by himself, his thoughts would get a little too dark to handle. She had no idea what horrors he had seen on his quest, but it clearly affected him more than he said it did.

She could see the bags under his eyes and hear how he screamed during the night. The crew are too much of heavy sleepers for them to hear it. But she could. She could see the scars when he rolled up his sleeves. Honestly, it scared her to think what he thinks about when he is alone.

After the meal, she left the boat looking for the young hero. He was sitting on a smooth boulder on the other side of the she got closer she could see he had his sleeves rolled up and his head hung low. It was uncharacteristic of Link to seem so depressed. He usually kept his head high with a smile plastered in his face. Maybe he did it so he wouldn't make the crew and her worried. Maybe he did it for himself.

Tetra walked up quietly, so she would not disturb him. Link being Link, he heard her instantly and turned around as fast as he could. It was instinct at this point to Link. After one time of being attacked not on guard, he taught himself to always be aware.

"Woah! Calm down, Link. It's just me."

His gaze soften as he turned around back to his previous position. Tetra sat down next to him.

"Hey," she looked at him. "Are you okay?"

She asked with a soft tome of voice which was only reserved for him. She would only show her soft side to Link. If Tetra showed the rest of the crew, they would think she had gone mad. Link was the only one who really understood Tetra.

"I'm fine." He returned her gaze.

Her chest intently ached at the sight of the light blonde boy.

The bags under his eyes were more defined. That usually happened when he didn't get enough sleep. She could see sadness in the pools of his blue eyed. They looked slightly red. He could have been crying. His eyebrows were tilted up. His scarred arms were bare from his sleeves being rolled up.

He looked like his very spirit had been sucked away to be lost forever.

She had never seen him like this before. Even after everything had ended with Ganon.

"No.." she mumbled. "You're not," she said.

His gaze fell to the ground.

"Please, Link. What's wrong?" she said. Her voice was quiet and soft, similar to her usual voice when she was Zelda. She also never said please. Link paid it no mind.

"I…" He stuttered. She waited patiently for his answer.

"I- I can't explain it."

"Please try."

"I don't know. It's this...feeling. This gut wrenching feeling. It's doubt and fear and loneliness. Doubt that I was really supposed to be the hero. What if they made a mistake? What if I wasn't supposed to be here. What if I feel alone forever. I'm so afraid. Afraid of the unknown. Afraid of what has happened, what will happen. Afraid that I won't last long enough to protect the crew. Afraid that something will happen to me, then I won't be there to protect you.."

Link broke down into what if's and situations that could happen, or not happen. He buried his head into his hands.

Tetra was taken back. She had never seen him show so much emotion, let alone enough to cry.

How could he have kept all this in for years?

Why didn't he come talk to her? Why did she push him so hard when he felt like this? Why does he feel so alone that he has to keep this inside 24/7.

Tetra was so lost in thought, she didn't realize Link was trying to stifle the sobs that he couldn't hold back. He didn't want her to hear him so vulnerable and weak.

She snapped out of her thoughts to console him. "Link…" she said "I'm so sorry"

She scooted in and hugged him from the side.

Once his crying turned to a sniffle, he hugged her back. After a moment, they released and gazed at each other.

"Thank you," Link wiped his eyes dry.

"You're not allowed to say that."

Link chuckled dryly.

"Besides, I think the crew can handle themselves," Tetra teased.

Link smiled slightly.

After a moment of silence Tetra decided to break it.

"Link," she said.

Link looked at her curious of what she's going to say next. Tetra took Link's hand and held it in her own. He looked at her, slightly shocked.

"You're not alone."

She smiled widely at him. He couldn't help but smile back.

She scooted in once more and layer her head on Link's shoulder. He returned the gesture as they watched the Sun go down.

 **End**

 **A/N: sorry about that lol and also thank you to the reviewer who let me kno what was going on**


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